Ontario Liberals to Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights

Will Introduce the “Protecting a Woman’s Right to Choose Act”

Ontario Liberals are outlining more details of our platform commitment to “protect and maintain the publicly funded abortion services and reproductive health programs currently available in Ontario.”

If re-elected, Ontario Liberals will introduce the “Protecting a Woman’s Right to Choose Act," which will create a Women’s Health Advocate to work with health system providers and patient groups. The Women's Health Advocate will report annually on the access, care standards, referral pathways and support services that ensure appropriate access to care are being maintained and improved for all Ontario women.

Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Liberals have already said that protecting a woman’s right to choose is an essential component of supporting women and their health. That's why we have made the abortion pill available at no charge and passed legislation to make sure Ontario women can access abortion services without fear of intimidation, harassment or interference. We have also introduced a modernized health and physical education curriculum that will make sure children are taught about healthy relationships and the concept of consent.

But we need do even more -- because we know that a woman’s right to choose can never be taken for granted.

Doug Ford opposes a woman’s right to choose. He has promised the Campaign Life Coalition that he would repeal the law protecting women from harassment outside health clinics that provide abortion services. Ford himself and 19 of his candidates are all supported by the Campaign Life Coalition. He has also pledged to strip young women of their reproductive rights granting control over their bodies to their parents.

Doug Ford likes to mislead Ontarians into thinking access to abortion services is a federal issue. While the federal government determines whether the practice is legal or not, most responsibilities are provincial. Among other things, those responsibilities include: determining where an abortion can take place, how doctors are compensated, the laws around harassment of patients and health providers, parental notifications / veto and mandatory “cooling off” periods.

"We have always been on the side of women and their reproductive rights," said Premier Kathleen Wynne. "But make no mistake -- a provincial government that wants to restrict the rights of women can do so, and will do so, unless they are stopped."